NEWS DESK
Train station crime ‘on rise’ Liz Bell liz@baysidenews.com.au SAFETY on the Frankston train line has hit the spotlight again, with claims that the latest crime statistics show high crime in the area despite security improvements including CCTV cameras and patrols. Liberal police and community safety opposition spokesman Ed O’Donohue said data showed 31 offences were recorded in the two months between April and June this year, but that many of the crimes committed outside of protective services officer operating hours were still
going “undetected”. Statewide, there were 1629 crimes committed at metropolitan railway stations in the same period, the highest quarter of crime at metropolitan train stations since 2014. Frankston’s train station has been the subject of safety concerns for years, with several initiatives such as piped music, improved lighting, CCTV in the X’Trapolis trains, and PSO patrols around stations aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour. Commuters and business operators have long complained about brazen drug dealing and unruly youths hanging around the station and causing problems.
PSOs were introduced by the former Napthine government at Frankston train station in August 2013, and a wall of closed-circuit television screens at Frankston police station was installed this year in the latest strategy to fight street crime. The CCTV cameras, capturing footage in high resolution to clearly identify offenders, focus in on crime as it happens at crime hot spots, such as the train station and shopping centres. Any claims of a crime rise were questioned by Frankston Labor MP Paul Edbrooke, who said there was “more work than ever” going on to redevelop the transit precinct and central Frankston as
part of the state government’s $63 million upgrade to the area. “This includes working with Frankston police to decrease negative behaviour and increase perceptions of safety in the area,” he said. Mr O’Donohue’s claims came as an extra 20 police officers and 19 PSOs joined the state’s crime-fighting ranks. Police graduates - including 10 men and 10 women – completed a 33-week training program which involved on-thejob training and placements at police stations. The PSOs - 17 men and two women - completed a 12-week training course. PSOs now patrol 215 train stations, in-
cluding Frankston, from 6pm until the last train every night. The Victoria Police Academy will be running at capacity over the next 12 months with around 1000 police, PSOs and custody officers in training. Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville said the government has funded more than 1150 police personnel since November 2014. “Victorians can get used to seeing more and more police hitting the beat as we ramp up recruitment at the Victoria Police Academy,” she said. “That means more boots on the ground in our communities – fighting crime to keep our state safe.”
CEO’s mystery trip ‘overseas’ Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au
Time to take out the trash: Frankston High School students Matilda Scroggie, left, Dan Fidele, Spencer Byrne, Georgie Dowel, Maud Verheij, Ella Bowman recycle goods at the school’s new recycling hub. Picture: Yanni
Recycling to educate students SUSTAINABILITY and education are at the heart of Frankston High School’s new community clothing recycling hub, which is reducing landfill while raising funds for environmental projects across the greater school community. Students have already raised almost $100 by collecting used clothing, shoes, toys and electrical goods for recycling, thanks to recycling partner SCR Group. The recycling bins, which were placed at the front of the Foot Street campus, mark the beginning phase of the school’s educational environmental hub. The recycling initiative has a strong cross-curricular focus, with students in the ‘Eco Team’ developing an advertising campaign, writing a blog, designing and distributing promotional pamphlets, contacting the media and presenting at school assemblies to encourage students and local families to use their recycling hub. Year 11 student Valentina Harrasser even designed a special ‘Eco Team’
logo for the recycling hub to let the community know that their contribution supports their environmental projects. Frankston High School’s sustainability coordinator Brendan Mckinnon said the community clothing recycling hub was a great way for students to have “ownership” of a program that reduces waste to landfill, engages the community, supports global communities and raises funds for environmental projects at the same time. “Our ‘Eco Team’ is very excited to be receiving their first payment, which will be used to purchase materials required to increase the reach of their education campaigns, including beginning to set-up an environmental hub within the school “, Mr Mckinnon said. “The great thing about the community clothing recycling hub is that it will be an ongoing source of funds for our Eco Team and it’s easy for the local community to use and access.”
FRANKSTON Council’s chief executive officer has gone on a mystery trip and no-one at council was able to say exactly where last week. Dennis Hovenden is believed to be overseas on business and leave but enquiries over several days about his whereabouts failed to locate council’s CEO. The Times understands councillors were not notified of Mr Hovenden’s absence and there is disquiet about the CEO not flagging his intention to head overseas for at least two weeks. The CEO’s trip comes at a time when bedding in councillors, including four newly-elected councillors, for a new four-year council term after last month’s council elections is crucial. This month’s trip for Mr Hovenden is the second foreign sojourn in recent months for council’s highestpaid employee, whose annual remuneration was listed as $330,000339,999 in the latest council annual report. Mr Hovenden visited Kansas in the US in September to attend the International City/County Management Association’s (ICMA) annual conference. For the past five weeks, The Times has been requesting information about that trip, the names of any council staff that also went to Kan-
CEO MIA: Dennis Hovenden not in Kansas anymore?
sas and any ratepayer-funded expenses incurred. The CEO visited Washington in the US in August last year at his own expense and used his own leave to attend the 2015 ICMA conference. Mayor Cr Brian Cunial said the mayor was “overseas” when contacted and asked about Mr Hovenden’s latest trip. He directed questions to council’s media and communications department. Gillian Kay, acting council CEO in Mr Hovenden’s absence, did not respond to the questions passed on by Cr Cunial.
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Frankston Times 21 November 2016
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